Our Philosophy

At Shine Bright Echuca East Kindergarten, we nurture children’s natural curiosity to discover and investigate their world by providing an environment rich in natural beauty. Opportunities are provided for children to actively explore using ‘open-ended’, natural and recycled materials in play. Children are given freedom within the environment to create, inquire, investigate and discover. The focus is not on the ‘end product’, but on the process of learning and the journey of discovery.

We embrace a strong connection to the Echuca East community and value the diverse contributions that each family brings to the learning experience. Families are regularly invited into the centre and encouraged to be actively involved. Partnerships developed between families, educators, parent advisory group and management (Shine Bright EYM) are vital in supporting children’s learning. Through reciprocal communication and shared ideas, strong, trusting and inclusive relationships are formed. Together we create a wonderful sense of belonging to the Shine Bright Echuca East Kindergarten and are excited to share this collaborative experience.

We encourage respect for the natural environment by embedding sustainable practices  within the program. Children move freely between activities with access to indoor/outdoor choices, along with a variety of incidental and planned learning experiences. Educators act as facilitators of learning: guiding, challenging, modelling, supporting and extending each individual child. Activities and materials are developed or changed according to the children’s interests and needs. As children become the initiators, controllers and negotiators of who they are and their role in the environment, they learn to develop greater strength in decision-making, problem-solving, peer relationships, resilience and perseverance, setting foundations for all future learning.

Educators understand that children learn and develop at their own pace, with their own learning style and we support each child’s sense of identity and ways of being. Our inclusive approach respects each individual child and the knowledge they bring with them. Educators work together as a team, drawing on their skills and experience to model and guide positive outcomes for children. Reflective practice underpins all our interactions and contributes to intentional teaching methods. We are passionate educators and are committed to further developing our skills and knowledge.

Exploring children’s spontaneous ideas as they happen and building on their strengths through play-based learning are key aspects of our child-centred approach. We offer opportunities for uninterrupted ‘continuous play’, with educators observing and reflecting on how children interact with the learning environment and each other, to assist with planning and scaffolding further learning experiences. Our program endeavours to nurture curious, self-motivated children with a positive attitude towards learning, embracing the five key elements of the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework: Identity, Community, Wellbeing, Learning and Communication.